Zelensky Visits Snake Island to Commemorate 500 Days of War

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared in a video released by his office on Saturday, visiting Snake Island overlooking the Black Sea to commemorate the 500-day anniversary since the start of the Russian invasion of his country. Zelensky laid flowers in honor of those who defended the island and praised all soldiers fighting for Ukraine since the invasion began on February 24, 2022. He stated, "From exactly here, from this place of victory, I want to thank all our soldiers for fighting throughout this period." He added, "May the freedom that all our heroes wanted for Ukraine in different eras, which we must achieve now, be a tribute to all those who sacrificed their lives for Ukraine." The small island became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance on the first days of the war after Ukrainian soldiers famously refused to surrender to Russian forces. The war's toll continued to rise as authorities in the eastern Donetsk region reported that six people were killed by Russian rocket fire in the town of Lyman.